Reversible surface winder

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a winder having: a drum about which a web passes in use; a cutter which severs the web as it passes around the drum into segments; a suction facility which draws air through a suction portion of the drum such that, when severed, the trailing web segment is carried by the suction portion to a release position; a loader which, for each segment, receives a core at a starting position whereat the core is rotated by contact with said drum and whereat the core receives the leading edge of said trailing segment, without fold-over, from said drum when the trailing segment reaches the take-up position; a guide which receives the core after the segment has started to wind thereupon; and a transfer mechanism which receives the core from the guide and supports same in driven contact with the drum as the segment is wound the Disclosed is a winder having: a drum about which a web passes in use; a cutter which severs the web as it passes around the drum into segments; a suction facility which draws air through a suction portion of the drum such that, when severed, the trailing web segment is carried by the suction portion to a release position; a loader which, for each segment, receives a core at a starting position whereat the core is rotated by contact with said drum and whereat the core receives the leading edge of said trailing segment, without fold-over, from said drum when the trailing segment reaches the take-up position; a guide which receives the core after the segment has started to wind thereupon; and a transfer mechanism which receives the core from the guide and supports same in driven contact with the drum as the segment is wound thereon.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to winders, i.e. devices for reeling or winding a travelling or advancing web onto a tube or core.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known to wind webs or films on reels or spools after manufacture for shipment to end-users, such as packaging companies, and the demands made of winders are constantly increasingly. The increasing prevalence of multi-layer webs has made reversible winders of great advantage. Demands for better and flatter rolls make it important that web transfer between rolls is carried out without tension change and without fold-over. Straight line cutting, i.e. squared-off web ends is also viewed favorably, as is relatively fast and simple web transfer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A winder for use with an advancing web and a supply of cores forms one aspect of the invention. The winder comprises: a rotating drum around which said web passes in use and including a suction portion; a cutter mechanism adapted to sever said web, as it passes around said drum, into segments to be wound one each around respective cores from the supply; a suction facility adapted to draw air through the suction portion of the drum such that, when the web is severed, the trailing segment is carried by the suction portion of the drum to a take-up position; a core loader which, for each segment, receives a core from the supply at a starting position whereat the core is rotated by operative driven contact with said drum and whereat the core receives, without fold-over, the leading edge of said trailing segment from said rotating drum when the trailing segment reaches the take-up position; a guide, to which, after said each segment has started to wind upon the core, the core is moved, and which supports the core as said each web segment is partially wound thereon; and a transfer mechanism which receives the core from the guide and supports same in operative driven contact with the drum until such time as said each web segment is completely wound thereon.

A winder for use with an advancing web and a supply of adhesive cores forms another aspect of the invention. The winder comprises: a rotating drum around which said web passes in use and including a suction portion; a cutter mechanism adapted to sever said web, as it passes around said drum, into segments to be wound one each around respective cores from the supply; a suction facility adapted to draw air through the suction portion of the drum such that, when the web is severed, the trailing segment is carried by the suction portion of the drum to a take-up position; a core loader which, for each segment, receives a core from the supply at a starting position whereat the core is rotated by operative driven contact with said drum and whereat the core adhesively receives the leading edge of said trailing segment, without fold-over, from said rotating drum when the trailing segment reaches the take-up position; a guide, to which, after said each segment has started to wind upon the core, the core is moved, and which supports the core as said each web segment is partially wound thereon; and a transfer mechanism which receives the core from the guide and supports same in operative driven contact with the drum until such time as said each web segment is completely wound thereon.

These winders provide for relatively fast and simple web transfer, without problematic tension change and without fold-over, and permit reversible winding and straight line web cutting. Further advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter being briefly described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a winder according to an embodiment of the invention, somewhat schematically represented, showing the core loader in the loading configuration and in receipt of a core; the upper and lower nip rollers retracted; the transfer mechanism in a fully extended configuration; the knife carriage in a retracted position; and the web threaded through the buffering rollers, around the upper nip roller and extending partially around the drum;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the core loader in the starting configuration, the upper nip roller extended, and the leading edge of the segment at the take-up position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the core loader in the transfer configuration and the core released to the guide;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the transfer mechanism in the winding configuration and in receipt of the core;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but with the core loader in the loading configuration and in receipt of a further core;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but with the knife carriage at a cutting position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but with the drum rotated such that the cam pin is about to engage the fork;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but with the drum further rotated and the fork pivoted such that the knife extends into the channel;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the drum further rotated such that the fork is pivoted downwardly and the cam is about to disengage from the fork;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but with the knife carriage returned to the retracted position;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, but with the transfer mechanism in the offloading configuration;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the winding being carried-out upside down;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the winding being carried out upside-down;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing the winding being carried out upside-down;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the winding being carried out upside-down;

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing the winding being carried out upside-down;

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 9, showing the winding being carried out upside-down;

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 10, showing the winding being carried out upside-down;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of the structure of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 7 of the structure of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 8 of the structure of FIG. 19;

FIG. 23 is a view similar to FIG. 9 of the structure of FIG. 19;

FIG. 24 is a view similar to FIG. 10 of the structure of FIG. 19;

FIG. 25 is a schematic view of the air shaft used in the invention;

FIG. 26 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 2; and

FIG. 27 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With general reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention, a winder, is illustrated in use and is designated by the general reference numeral 20. Generally, the winder includes a rotating drum 22; a cutter mechanism 24; a suction facility; a core loader 28; a guide 30; a transfer mechanism 32; an upper nip roller 34 and a lower nip roller 36.

With reference to FIG. 26, the drum 22 includes a suction portion 38 and has a longitudinal channel 40 in the outer circumferential surface thereof. Suction portion 38 is an area of the outer circumferential surface, bisected by the channel 40, with a foraminous mantel or perforated outer shell through which air can be drawn.

With reference to FIG. 27, the cutter mechanism 24 includes a knife 42, a cam pin 44, a fork 46, a knife carriage 48 and coacting cam surfaces (not shown) provided, respectively, on the fork 46 and the knife carriage 48. The knife carriage 48 is mounted on rails 50 for radial movement, and is selectively actuated by a first hydraulic cylinder 52, from a retracted position, relatively distant from the drum 22 and shown in FIG. 5, to an extended cutting position, relatively proximal to the drum 22 and shown in FIG. 6. Returning to FIG. 27, the fork 46 is pivotally mounted to the knife carriage 48 and has a second hydraulic cylinder 54 mounted thereto and providing for pivotal movement of the fork 46. The knife 42 is mounted to the fork 46 for selective movement therewith.

The suction facility is adapted to draw air through the suction portion 38 of the drum 22 and takes the form of a simple compressor.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 27, the core loader 28 comprises a pair of radially-extending, longitudinally-spaced loading arms 56 disposed at opposite ends of the drum 22 and a core cradle 58 for and mounted to each loading arm 56 for pivotal movement about an axis X2-X2 parallel to the drum axis X1-X1 for substantially radial movement. The loading arms 56 and the cradles 58 have a loading configuration, shown in FIG. 1; are movable by pivotal movement of the cradles 58 controlled by hydraulic cylinders 100, from the loading configuration, to a starting configuration, shown in FIG. 2; and are movable, by pivotal movement of the loading arms 56 controlled by cylinders 102 about the drum axis X1-X1 to a transfer configuration, shown in FIG. 3. The cradles 58 each terminate in an open hook or slot 60 and have a third hydraulic cylinder 62 which selectively closes the slot 60, as best seen in FIG. 26.

The transfer mechanism 32 comprises a pair of longitudinally-spaced support arms 64, pivotally mounted at respective lower ends thereof for movement controlled by hydraulic cylinders 104 between winding and offloading positions which correspond to winding and offloading configurations of the transfer mechanism 32 shown, respectively, in FIGS. 5 and 11. The support arms 64 each terminate in an open hook or slot 66 and have a fourth hydraulic cylinder 68 which selectively closes the slot.

The upper 34 and lower 36 nip rollers are each mounted on a respective pivoting arm 70, 72 and movable, respectively, into and out of engagement with the drum by fifth 74 and sixth 76 hydraulic cylinders. Movement of the upper nip roller 34 into engagement with the drum 22 is shown in the sequence of FIGS. 1, 2.

The winder 20 is used with an advancing web of plastic film or the like 78 and a supply of cores 80. Each core includes an exteriorly adhesive coated cardboard tube operatively mounted about an air shaft 110 shown in FIG. 25. The air shaft 110 is of a known type (and accordingly is not illustrated in detail) which includes a steel shaft 112 with expandable longitudinal splines 114 disposed about its periphery, the air shaft, in use, being disposed inside the cardboard tube and chargeable with air to bring the splines 114 into contact with the inside of the tube. The ends of the shaft terminate in paired bearings 116, 118, 120 which permit the steel shaft, cardboard and any webbing built up thereon, to rotate smoothly about the shaft axis X3-X3 inside the bearings.

When winding, the web 78 normally exits the extruder in a downward orientation, is directed to the drum 22 via a series of buffer rollers 82 and is introduced to the drum 22 by the upper nip roller 34, as shown in FIG. 4. The web 78 passes around the rotating drum 22 and is taken up by a core 80 which is driven by contact with the drum 22 and which is supported by the support arms 64. Support arms 64 grip bearings 118 of the air shaft 110, such that the cardboard tube and reeled webbing is readily rotatable about the drum axis X1-X1. As shown by the sequence of FIGS. 4, 6, as webbing builds upon the core 80, the support arms 64 arms pivot, to accommodate the increasing diameter of the web/core combination.

When webbing has built up appreciably on the core, preparations are made to transfer reeling operations to a new core.

As an initial step, the loading arms 56 and the cradles 58 are caused to assume the loading configuration, wherein the cradles open 58 upwardly, for receiving a core, and a core is loaded therein, for example, by an overhead crane (not shown). Cradles 58 receive bearings 116 of the air shaft 110, such that the cardboard tube and reeled webbing thereon is readily rotatable. Once the core 80 has been received into the cradles 58, as shown in FIG. 5, the third hydraulic cylinders 62 are extended, to lock the core 80 in the cradles 58, as shown in exemplary fashion in FIG. 26.

When the web is to be severed: the suction facility is engaged to draw the web tightly across the channel 40; the core loader 28 is caused to move to the starting configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, to bring the new core into contact with the drum 22 and commence rotation of the new core; and the knife carriage 48 is moved from the retracted position to the extended cutting position, as shown in FIG. 6, to bring the fork 46 into radial range of the cam pin 44. As the drum 22 rotates, the cam pin 44 engages the fork 46, as shown in FIG. 7. This causes the knife 42 to rotate in mesh with and project into the channel 40, as shown by the sequence of FIGS. 7-9. The cam pin 44 and fork 46 are well illustrated in FIG. 27. Simultaneously, the coacting cam surfaces on the fork 46 and the knife carriage 48 cause the knife 42 to move longitudinally in the channel 40, to slice/sever the web. As cam surfaces are well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, same are not described herein in detail.

When the web is severed, the leading segment and the trailing segment follow different paths.

The leading segment continues its original trajectory around the drum 22, to complete the spool. Upon spool completion, the support arms 64 move to the offloading position, as shown in FIG. 11, which corresponds to an offloading configuration of the transfer mechanism 32, to move the completed spool to an offloading position, and the fourth hydraulic cylinders 68 retract, to release the core. The completed core can then be removed from the transfer mechanism 32 by an overhead crane, forklift or the like (not shown).

In contrast, the trailing segment is carried by the suction portion 38 of the drum 22 to a take-up position, as shown in FIG. 10, whereat it contacts the new spool and is taken up thereby as the new spool rotates. After said each segment has started to wind upon the core 80 and the transfer arms 64 have moved the completed reel away from the drum 22, the suction facility is disengaged and the core loader 28 is caused to assume a transfer configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, by pivotal movement of the loading arms 56 about the drum axis X1-X1, which moves the new core to the guide 30 which supports the core as the next web segment is partially wound thereon. (Guide 30 receives bearings 120 of the air shaft 110, such that the cardboard tube is readily rotatable.) Thereat, the third hydraulic cylinders 62 retract, to release the core to the guide 30, and the core loader 28 is caused to revert to the starting configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, for receipt of a new core and repetition of the process. Although the sequence of FIGS. 2, 3 show movement of the core to the guide 30 occurring at a very early stage in the winding process, i.e. with only a minimal amount of webbing, it should be understood that this is not necessary, and movement to the guide 30 may take place only after an appreciable amount of webbing has been reeled, since cradles 58 readily pivot to adjust to the increasing diameter of the reel, as shown in FIG. 26.

After the core loader 28 has released the shaft, support arms 64 pivot to wrap hooks 66 around the shaft, specifically, around bearings 118, and the fourth cylinders 68 extend, to lock the core in position, as shown in FIG. 4, at which point, normal winding continues. This defines a winding configuration of the transfer mechanism 32.

If it desired that the web be reeled or winded upside-down on the roll, this can be easily done with the winder, simply by retracting the upper nip roller 34 from contact with the drum 22, rethreading the web so as to pass about the lower nip roller 36, extending the lower nip roller 36 into contact with the drum 22, and driving the drum in reverse, as shown in FIG. 12. The operations in this application are substantially identical to those as shown in FIGS. 1-11, and accordingly, are not further described. However, whereas in the application shown in FIGS. 1-11, the fork 46 is supported by the cylinder 54 in an initially upward orientation and, when the knife carriage 48 moves to the extended configuration, is driven by the cam pin 44 downwardly as the drum 22 rotates, in the upside-down winding application, the fork 46 is initially maintained in an downward orientation by the cylinder 54, and is driven upwardly by the cam pin 44, as shown in the sequence of FIGS. 13-18.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 19-24, which correspond to FIGS. 4-10 of the first embodiment but show, instead of a fork-mounted knife driven by a cam pin, a rotatable knife 84 driven by a motor 86. When the web is to be severed, the knife 84 is carried to a position near the drum and the motor is actuated, to cause the knife to rotate in mesh with the channel to sever the web.

While but two embodiments of the present invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that various changes can be made.

For example, whereas the illustrated embodiments utilize adhesive cores, it could be possible to use plain cardboard cores, and an adhesive applicator which applies adhesive to the core at any point in the process before the leading edge of the segment reaches the take-up position.

Equally, it could be possible to utilize plain cores, and an adhesive applicator which applies adhesive to the leading edge of the segment before it reaches the tackle-up position.

Further, whereas the embodiment of FIGS. 19-24 shows a servo motor or the like, which causes the knife to pivot only when in motion to sever the web, it would equally be possible for the knife to rotate whenever the drum is in motion and synchronized therewith. In this case, the knife carriage would need to move into and out of the cutting position within one rotation of the drum to avoid multiple cuts, in contrast to the servo motor variation, which could be moved at a relatively slower speed.

Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto, purposively construed. 

1. A winder for use with an advancing web and a supply of cores, said winder comprising: a rotating drum around which said web passes in use and including a suction portion; a cutter mechanism adapted to sever said web, as it passes around said drum, into segments to be wound around one each respective cores from the supply; a suction facility adapted to draw air through the suction portion of the drum such that, when the web is severed, the trailing segment is carried by the suction portion of the drum to a release position; a core loader which, for each segment, receives a core from the supply at a starting position whereat the core is rotated by operative driven contact with said drum and whereat the core receives the leading edge of said trailing segment, without fold-over, from said rotating drum when the trailing segment reaches the take-up position; a guide, to which, after said each segment has started to wind upon the core, the core is moved, and which supports the core as said each web segment is partially wound thereon; and a transfer mechanism which receives the core from the guide and supports same in operative driven contact with the drum until such time as said each web segment is completely wound thereon.
 2. A winder for use with an advancing web and a supply of adhesive cores, said winder comprising: a rotating drum around which said web passes in use and including a suction portion; a cutter mechanism adapted to sever said web, as it passes around said drum, into segments to be wound around one each respective cores from the supply; a suction facility adapted to draw air through the suction portion of the drum such that, when the web is severed, the trailing segment is carried by the suction portion of the drum to a take-up position; a core loader which, for each segment, receives a core from the supply at a starting position whereat the core is rotated by operative driven contact with said drum and whereat the core adhesively receives the leading edge of said trailing segment, without fold-over, from said rotating drum when the trailing segment reaches the take-up position; a guide, to which, after said each segment has started to wind upon the core, the core is moved, and which supports the core as said each web segment is partially wound thereon; and a transfer mechanism which receives the core from the guide and supports same in operative driven contact with the drum until such time as said each web segment is completely wound thereon.
 3. A winder according to claim 1, further comprising an adhesive applicator which applies adhesive to the core before the leading edge of the segment reaches the release position, such that said core adhesively receives the leading edge of said segment from said rotating drum when the web reaches the take-up position.
 4. A winder according to claim 1, further comprising an adhesive applicator which applies adhesive to the leading edge of the segment before it reaches the release position, such that said core adhesively receives the leading edge of said segment from said rotating drum when the web reaches the take-up position.
 5. A winder according to claim 1, wherein the rotating drum is a reversible rotating drum and the transfer mechanism provides for the winding of said segment on said core either web face up or web face down, depending upon the direction of drum rotation.
 6. A winder according to claim 1, wherein the drum has a longitudinal channel in the outer circumferential surface thereof, and the cutter mechanism has a knife which is selectively inserted into said channel to sever the web.
 7. A winder according to claim 6, wherein, when the web is to be severed, the knife is carried to a position near the drum and caused to pivot in sync with the drum such that knife rotates in mesh with the channel.
 8. A winder according to claim 7, wherein a cam pin on the drum and a pivotable fork which is engaged by and moved by the pin on rotation of the drum provides for said pivotal movement of the knife in sync with the drum.
 9. A winder according to claims 6 wherein the knife moves longitudinally in the channel to sever the web in use.
 10. A winder according to claim 9, wherein the fork is pivotally mounted to a knife carriage that moves radially from a retracted position, relatively distant from the drum, to an extended cutting position, relatively proximal to the drum, when the web is to be severed; and wherein longitudinal movement of the knife is provided by coacting cam surfaces provided, respectively, on the fork and the knife carriage.
 11. A winder according to claim 1, wherein the core loader, for each segment, receives a core from the supply and moves same to the starting position and, after said each segment has started to wind upon the core, moves the core to the guide.
 12. A winder according to claim 11, wherein the core loader comprises a pair of radially-extending, longitudinally-spaced loading arms disposed at opposite ends of the drum, a core cradle for and mounted to each guide arm for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the drum axis for substantially radial movement, the loading arms and the cradles: having a loading configuration, for receiving a core; being movable, by pivotal movement of the cradles, from the loading configuration, to a starting configuration, for movement of the core to the start position and whereat the core cradles each support an end of the core in use for rotatable movement by the drum; and being movable, by pivotal movement of the loading arms about the drum axis, to a transfer configuration, for movement of the core to the guide.
 13. A winder according to claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism moves the core from the guide to an offloading position whereat the core is released as said each segment is wound upon the core.
 14. A winder according to claim 13, wherein the transfer mechanism comprises: a pair of longitudinally spaced support arms, pivotally mounted at respective lower ends thereof for movement between transfer and offloading positions which correspond to the transfer and offloading positions of the transfer mechanism, each support arm supporting an end of the core in use for rotatable movement by the drum during movement of the core between the transfer and offloading positions.
 15. A winder according to claim 6, wherein, the knife is caused to rotate in mesh with the channel to sever the web.
 16. A winder according to claim 15, wherein the knife rotates in sync with the rotation of the drum and is carried to a position near the drum so as to rotate in mesh with the channel when the web is to be severed.
 17. A winder according to claim 16, wherein the knife is coupled to a motor which is actuated when the web is to be severed to cause the knife to rotate in mesh with the channel. 